The revival of the Muslim World will come and be initiated from Nusantara.

By. Dr. Abd Salam Rasyidi PG- The Grand Chancellor of Alzaytun Indonesia.

The people of Nusantara must have the will to make sacrifices for the sake of their education. It may sound strange that we stress only on education when we talk about the people and the nation. For those who are instant minded, it is strange, but for those who are concerned with the future well being of their people currently in destitute, it is not strange at all.

A wise nation will choose education enhancement for the sake of its people, even though the fruit of success will have to wait for a long time. However, if (the education enhancement) is performed with patience, the desired results, i.e. prosperity and changes in the people’s culture from the negative ones to the positive ones will be realized. 20 years is indeed a long period, but changes in the people’s culture as a result of education enhancement can be seen even before 20 years.

Someday, if education is developed seriously, the Nusantara culture will be that of love for unity and unification because a well-educated person will give priority to the interests of togetherness rather than the interests of individuals. A well-educated person will give priority to the interests of his people and nation.

A nation with well-educated individuals will uphold high work ethics because everything that they do will be based on real calculation. An educated nation will be an independent nation. It means, while having interaction with another nation, it will be able to support its requirement by its products, not by debts, as life is interdependent.

An educated nation will contribute its knowledge towards a clearer world future together with other nations up to an international stage where it will interact in knowledge and technology. An educated nation will have a strong and productive human resource as its principle human resources’ knowledge matches its job scope.

An educated nation will be an honest and respected nation where other nations will respect it and will think one thousand times before they make an irrational perception, what more to humiliate it. An educated nation will a rich and prosperous nation because it will appreciate continuous God’s gifts. That is a new Nusantara culture that should be established and that is also the meaning of contra culture. Smart, Tolerant peaceful and Nusantara people who love the law.

If that contra culture is created through a new Nusantara culture, hence the revival of the Muslim World will come and be initiated from Nusantara, not an impossible thing. That is why we as a part of the Nusantara people strive toward that. Our words through our actions, we move, develop, and realize the vision of the new Nusantara culture (contra culture).

Developing a good education means educating through current and future orientation. That is modern. That is why modern education cannot be facilitated by a facility that is not up to date. The modern facility is not limited to the physical aspect, but also those that fit modern conditions.

Modern means visionary, because the education vision must be directed towards the revival of Nusantara to stand tall alongside other nations.

Modern means being visionary, thus the education vision must be directed towards the resurgence of Nusantara that can stand tall alongside its counterparts on the international scene.

Modern education is one with clear programs and objectives. our education achievement program must be directed towards building the Nusantara nation to become equals with other nations in all fields and aspects of development and advancement of nations. They must also become a nation with an international vision in mind. Modern education must be oriented towards the realm of knowledge and its development.

The culture of Nusantara in the future is determined by its educational result which is ceaselessly knowledge-oriented, knowledge which does not know what end means.

Modern education must provide for disciplined facilities. In modern living discipline is imperative. Discipline is not merely the right of the military or civil servants; all modern nations are undoubtedly consistent with discipline. The nation will crumble if discipline is sidelined in everyday life.

Discipline is the one that will deliver the people to understand procedural living as a society and as a nation. Discipline will also ensure that the people to love an orderly and civilized life. A society or a disciplined nation serves as a community mirror that respects law and order and upholds the routine administration conduct be it for oneself, for one’s society or one’s nation.

In modern educated life, facilities are required to deliver the people towards an elevated life directed at work ethics of prominence. The indication of modern society is the commitment towards work ethics and the responsibility towards work.

Thus, all facilities required as the foundation of modern educated life must be provided if we want Nusantara, to become an advanced and modern nation now and in the future.

While the Nusantara nation is entering the era of modern education as mentioned earlier, clearly it will be projected with eminence, proud to be the Indonesian nation. The Indonesian nation will love union and establishment because its mind has become acute, its vision transcending the borderless universe devoid of being restricted to trivialities that impede the meaning of association and national union.

The Nusantara nation will be a nation willing to live alongside his people and the nations of the world at large. Its solidarity will not be bound by frivolous isms and madhhab (divisions of understanding in the Islamic faith) that binds life. This educated nation will be one willing to sacrifice for the sake of the nation’s advancement and humanity as a whole.

On sacrifice, any nation of the world of any stature, even in developed nations are still demanded to have a sense of sacrifice in its fight. In this opportunity to satisfy and provide meaning for the journey towards a resurgent century, we must realize the fate of the Islamic World, we are continuously sharpening our understanding towards the meaning of sacrifice amidst various restrictive conditions but we brave ourselves to come forward revamping the education life of the nation and the ummah.

This is the manifestation and form of sacrifice. And the sacrifice will not be constrained to only a certain achievement. Say, for instance, Allah’s willing, we can complete this education development project here, therefore we will proceed to other places suitable with programs which we have determined together.

For that, wouldn’t it be appropriate in this opportunity to ask ourselves (these questions)? Are we tired of sacrificing for the sake of success and the resurgence of education and advancement of the Islamic World? If we are not, how could we then prove it? For a nation that is always at the ready to sacrifice, it means that its existence will remain long and unhampered.

Further through this dais, To the Muslim Ummah of Nusantara and all the guests, we ask: Are we willing with all our might to be actively involved in building the Nusantara Nation, for the sake of success and glory for the future?

Are we willing to fund without overseas financing for the education development program of the nation and the ummah?

May our obligation and willingness to perform will Allah provide for the aspiration of the resurgence of the Nusantara nation, the resurgence to the ummah and the resurgence of the New World of Islam filled with Tolerance and Peace to be felt by all levels of mankind without exemption.